The present specification makes reference to amino acid sequences, which are included in a Revised Sequence Listing (submitted electronically as a .txt file named “Sequence_Listing.txt”). The revised .txt file was generated on Aug. 6, 2013 and is 9 kb in size. The entire contents of the Revised Sequence Listing are herein incorporated by reference.
Devices that comprise a heating element provide a wide range of biomedical and clinical applications, such as thermal therapy. In particular, light-activated heating elements are of great interest for a number of applications, including photothermal therapy, in which electromagnetic radiation is employed to treat various medical conditions.
In addition, implantable medical devices (IMDs) that monitor and treat physiological conditions within the human body have attracted tremendous interest from biologists, physicians and engineers around the globe. IMDs are used in managing a broad range of ailments, and reflect considerable investment in technology and development, including such varied devices as pacemakers and drug delivery systems. The need for miniature, low power, wireless IMDs has surged, and progress has been made in developing micro- and nano-technologies. Despite such progress, improvements are still needed for the long-term stability and functionality of IMDs, including for active devices that need power for their appropriate operation; such as advancing the biocompatibility of the construction and encapsulation materials, and power source solutions for those devices.